[China Tech] Shanghai researchers deploy robot to make nuclear medicine safer and precise

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A sophisticated robot has been created by medical professionals and researchers in Shanghai to enhance the precision and quality of nuclear medicine, aiming for improved and safer medical outcomes.

Nuclear medicine employs radioactive isotopes for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular conditions. This method allows doctors to find specific activities in tissues and organs without surgery, helping to catch diseases early and quickly check how well treatments are working.

Quality control of relevant equipment is essential for achieving accuracy in nuclear medicine. Professionals are required to conduct regular assessments before patient admissions each day. The complexity of nuclear medicine equipment and the potential for manual operation errors may adversely affect diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes.

The robot can perform precise checks. Officials from Shanghai's Zhongshan Hospital, a developer of the robot, claimed that it can move freely between medical devices to fulfill quality control automatically and with greater precision than humans, significantly enhancing efficiency and radiation protection.

The introduction of the robot coincided with the announcement of an innovation alliance for the nuclear medicine diagnosis and treatment industry chain in the Lingang Area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

The initiative, involving numerous domestic and international facilities, is spearheaded by Zhongshan Hospital and the Shanghai Zhu Guangya Institute of Strategic Science and Technology. Its objective is to establish a laboratory-clinical practice-industrialization continuum to enhance the development of nuclear medicine and strengthen China's global standing and capabilities in this field.

An international advanced technology demonstration and training center for nuclear medicine was inaugurated in Shanghai to provide training for professionals.